Violin rest device



United States Patent [72] Inventor Elmer J. Fiechtner 415 S. 12th St., Moorehead, Minnesota 56560 [21] Appl. No. 766,134 [22] Filed 0ct.9, 1968 [45] Patented Oct. 6, 1970 [54] VIOLIN REST DEVICE 2 Claims, 4 Drawing Figs.

[52] U.S. Cl 84/279 [51] Int. Cl. GlOd 1/02 [50] Field ofSearch 84/279281 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,477,030 12/1923 B y 84/278 1,841,393 1/1932 Arthur v, 34/279 1,920,850 8/1933 Ebert 1. 84/280 2,524,526 Hines 84/280 FOREIGN PATENTS 64,911 1949 Netherlands ABSTRACT: The invention is a violin rest device having a spongeous plate-like member with a flat upper surface adapted to engage the upper surface of a violin, beneath the chin rest of the violin, rubber bands to secure the plate-like member to the violin, said plate member having a recessed portion on its undersurface adapted to partially surround the collar bone of the operator of the violin to secure the lower edge of the plate member to the operator whereby, the opera tor when placing his chin on the chin rest and applying a downward force with his chin, this action will tend to pivot the outer end of the violin upwardly away from the operator's shoulder and will tend to maintain the violin in its suspended position with relative ease.

This'invention relates to violin equipment, more particularly, the invention relates to a violin support device.

It is an object of the invention to provide a novel violin support rest between the violin and the collarbone of the player which cooperates with the chin rest of the violin to make it easier to support the violin while playing.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a novel violin support rest which is mounted to the underside of the violin and which engages the shoulder blade of the player and acts to pivot about the collarbone when the player applies his chin to the chin rest to raise and suspend the outer end of the violin with a minimum amount of force being applied by the chin to the chin rest.

It is another object of the invention to provide a novel violin support rest between the operator's shoulder and the violin which cooperates with the chin rest to make it easier for the player to support the violin while playing.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the description proceeds and when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the violin support invention shown in operative position on the bottom of the violin and with the violin shown generally in the playing position by an operator.

FIG. 2 is a bottom plan view of the violin rest invention illustrating the violin rest operatively mounted to a violin.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged bottom plan view of the violin rest invention.

Briefly stated, the invention comprises a violin support device having a sponge rubber plate support member with an L-shaped recessed portion underneath and having rubber bands mounted to two of its outer ends, said support member being mounted to the underside of a violin beneath and on the opposite side of the violin to the chin rest of the violin and with the L-shaped recessed portion adapted to engage the opposite sides ofa collarbone of an operator enabling the end of the violin to pivot about the collarbone when the operator places his chin against the rest for the chin to thereby pivot the outer end of the violin upward to a playing position, with a minimum amount of force by the operators chin.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, in FIG. 1 the violin support rest invention 20 is illustrated mounted to the underside ofa violin 21 with a player 22 holding the violin 21 between his collarbone 22' and his chin 22", with his chin 22" resting in a conventional chin rest 23, which is mounted to the upper edge of the violin 21.

The violin support rest invention 20 has a plate-like member made of sponge rubber and has a generally triangular shape with rounded corners. A pair of rubber bands 25 and 25 are tied to two of the corners 26 and 26' of the rest invention. The rest invention has a flat upper surface 27 and a raised ledge portion 28 on its lower surface 29. The ledge portion 28 on its under surface, forms two L-shaped recessed portions 30 and 30' on the under surface 29 of the rest invention 20.

The flat upper surface 27 of the plate-like rest invention 20 is mounted flush against the undersurface 31 of the violin 21. The rubber bands 25 and 25' are tied to the corners 26 and 26' of the support rest invention 20. The rubber band 25 is attached under tension to the peg 32 at the rear edge 33 of the violin, and the rubber band 25' is attached under tension around the projecting ledge 34 on the side of the violin to thereby attach the rest invention to the violin as illustrated in FIG. 2.

After the support rest invention 20 has been attached to the violin, the operator or player will place the violin 21 on his shoulder 35 as illustrated in FIG. 1 with the support rest invention 20 located on the underside of the violin and positioned upon the shoulder 35 of the player and with the apex 36 of the L-shaped recess 30 of the support rest invention resting upon the collarbone 22 of the operator as illustrated in FIG. 3 to serve as a pivot point or fu crum. The operator or player will then pivot his chin 22" downward and inward into the chin rest 23 as illustrated in FIG. 1 and will continue to pivot his chin downward and inward toward his neck thereby applying a downward and inward force to the chin rest 23 as indicated by the arrow 39 in FIG. 3 causing the violin 21 to pivot upward counter clockwise about the axis formed by the collarbone when viewed from FIG. 3 and as indicated by the arrow 39, causing the outer end of the violin to pivot upward and away from the shoulder 35 of the operator.

While the left hand of the operator may be used in cooperation with the chin action to assist in pivoting the violin upward to a playing position, the fulcrum or pivoting action about the apex 36 of the recess 30 of the support rest invention 20 enables the outer end 38 of the violin 21 to be held upward and suspended away from the shoulder 35 of the operator with less force action by the chin 22" of the operator against the chin rest 23 than would be necessary by the chin of the operator than if the fulcrum action were not present. While the left hand of the operator may be used to assist in raising the violin to its suspended position, the violin may be held in its suspended position by the chin action along with relative ease.

The rest invention assists in changing the playing position by the player as from the first to the fifth position, since it cooperates with the chin rest section to hold the violin in position while moving the left hand from one position to the next. The recessed portion 30 partially encircles the collar bone of the operator which assists in keeping the violin from slipping out of position. This invention may be used with violas and the like.

Thus, it will be seen that a novel violin collar rest has been provided which cooperates with the chin rest to provide a means for easily holding the violin in playing position by means of the chin alone, without any material help from the left hand of the violinist while playing.

It will be obvious that various changes and departures may be made to the invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, and accordingly, it is not intended that the invention be limited to that specifically described in the invention or as illustrated in the drawings but only as set forth in the appended claims wherein:

I claim:

1. A rest support device for violins and the like having a chin rest, said support comprising a spongeous plate-like member having a flat upper surface engaging the undersurface at the inner end of the violin in substantially flush relationship beneath the chin rest of the violin, hand attachment means at opposite ends of the rest member for securing the plate-like spongeous member to the violin, said spongeous member having an elongated notched portion adapted to surround the collar bone of the operator of the violin to secure the lower edge of the member, whereby the operator placing his chin on the chin rest and applying a downward force with his chin will tend to pivot the outer end of the violin upward away from the operator's shoulder and will tend to maintain the violin in its suspended position with relative ease.

2. A rest support device according to claim 1, wherein the elongated notched portion comprises a cutaway portion which extends along a plane generally parallel to the under surface of the violin and away from the inner end of the violin until the plane passes over the collar bone at which time it extends laterally downward along a plane away from the under surface of the violin. 

